Parties split on redistricting proposal

Spokesmen for Shelter Island’s Democratic and Republican parties differ on a redistricting proposal that would result in Shelter Island moving from the Assembly district of its current assemblyman, Dan Losquadro (R-Riverhead), to Fred Thiele (I-Sag Harbor), who served as the Island’s county legislator in the 1990s.

While calling Mr. Losquadro “a fine gentleman,” Supervisor James Dougherty, a Democrat, said Mr. Thiele had been “a real friend” to Shelter Island even though he hasn’t represented the town in the Assembly. Mr. Dougherty, who is serving his third term as chairman of the East End Supervisors and Mayors Association, said all East End towns and villages have a lot of issues in common, including the protection of Peconic Bay. He believes the region could best be represented by Mr. Thiele.

The redistricting plan calls for Shelter Island, Southold, Southampton and East Hampton to become the First Assembly District, while Riverhead would continue to be in what would become Mr. Losquadro’s Second Assembly District, which would extend west from Riverhead and exclude the Southold Town part of the North Fork.

The drafters of the plan “did a very thoughtful and wise thing,” Mr. Dougherty said.

But that’s not how new Shelter Island Republican Party Chairman Robert DeStefano Jr. sees it. “I don’t think it would be a good thing for Shelter Island,” Mr. DeStefano said. He said he had no objection to Mr. Thiele but the redistricting plan would result in the East End towns having one less voice in the state legislature.

Mr. DeStefano said he didn’t expect to see any local effort to challenge the proposal but would support it if one were launched.

At a county hearing on the proposal last week at which Shelter Island was not represented, Mr. Losquadro spoke against the proposal and drew support from elected officials in both Riverhead and Southold towns. He argued that if the plan were adopted, North Fork residents would have to take two ferries or drive more than an hour around the forks to see their assemblyman. Riverhead should not be cut off from the North Fork and North and South forks should not be lumped into one district, he said.

A representative of Common Cause, a non-profit, non-partisan citizen advocacy group, said the proposed new district was gerrymandered in what he called “a game of follow the Democratic voters.” Common Cause’s alternative plan calls for keeping Shelter Island, Riverhead and both forks together.

Beth Young contributed to this story.